


Poison

by abberwocky



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Amputation, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied Gency I guess?, Light Angst, Loss of Limbs, McMercy, Mercy76 History
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 19:32:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11698416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abberwocky/pseuds/abberwocky
Summary: Jesse collapses on the way back from taking out the Deadlock Gang on Route 66. Angela must do everything she can to save him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 of McMercy Week - Healing. My interpretation of how Jesse lost his arm. Thank you for reading as always :)
> 
> CONTEXT:  
> \- Angela and Jack were in a relationship in the early years of Overwatch, but it ended after a couple of years.  
> \- Angela and Genji never had a publicly romantic relationship but were very close.  
> \- Angela and Jesse have been "friends with benefits" for a few months but deep down know they have feelings for each other.

_“This is Reyes. Get me Dr Ziegler, now.”_

Frozen. A ghastly shiver inched down her back as her chest constricted. These were the words she had been dreading ever since they left. But there was no time to lose. Jack nodded at her once, and she dashed over to the mic.

“This is Dr Ziegler. How can I assist?”

_“It’s McCree.”_ Her heart shot up to her throat. _“Mission’s over – we’re back on the ship, but… he’s collapsed. I need you to tell me what to do, Doc.”_

“Recovery position,” she ordered.

_“Give me some credit here, of course I’ve put him in the recovery position!”_

“Well unless you tell me these things Reyes I can’t help you efficiently!” the doctor snapped, getting more and more agitated by the second.  
“ _Breathe, Angela. Just breathe,”_ she instructed herself. “ _You’ve done this countless times before.”_  
She took a composed pause, then continued.  
“Is he breathing?”

_“Yes, but it sounds very laboured. Like he’s wheezing.”_

“And his pulse?”

_“Racing.”_

“ _Scheiße_ ,” she muttered under her breath. “Get him an oxygen mask. Is he displaying any other symptoms?”

_“Oxygen mask is on. He’s gone pale and is sweating.”_ Angela, too, began to sweat, the diagnosis becoming clearer.

“Reyes, I need to know: has McCree sustained any injuries on this mission?”

_“Well the idiots tried to shoot at him but they only got his arm. We removed the bullet, cleaned the wound and patched it up, but he was fine.”_

“No other injuries? No perforations on the skin? You didn’t go for a drink afterwards, did you?”

_“Nope. I was with him the entire time. He wanted to get out as soon as we were done.”_

“Reyes…” It took everything she had not to choke on her next words. “I believe that bullet was laced with poison.”

_“…shit.”_

Just behind her, Jack let out a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. They were all still raw from losing Captain Amari; the last thing Overwatch needed was another loss. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder – something he hadn’t done in a long time.

“Do whatever it takes,” he murmured solemnly. “I won’t lose anyone else on my watch.”

“I will do everything in my power,” she assured him, trying to mask the crack in her voice. She then turned back to the mic.  
“Reyes, how long until you arrive back at base?”

_“T minus 2 hours.”_

“I will assemble a medical team on the ground and prepare the theatre. We will need to operate immediately upon your return. Commander Morrison will stay on the line with you. Monitor his ABCs and if anything changes, inform us right away. Ziegler out.”

Now on autopilot, Angela flew out of the control room and towards the infirmary, preparing for the longest two hours of her life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angela has now operated on Jesse, but he hasn't woken up yet.

He was alive. That much she could say. Whether he would survive this… That was a different question entirely.

Every hour had felt like an eternity; two waiting, four in theatre, and now on the cusp of another. Her eyes flickered between him and his vitals, waiting for something to go wrong. It wouldn’t have been the first time an antidote hadn’t taken. The doctor could only hope that she had done enough.

“Angela.” A deep voice sounded from behind her. Reyes placed a mug of coffee on the bedside table and took a seat.  
“Go and get yourself some fresh air. I’ll stay with him.”

“Not until I know it’s taken,” she uttered rigidly. The Commander sighed and passed her the mug.

“Then at least have some coffee, Doc. You look like you’ve been punched in the eyes.”

“I _feel_ like I’ve been punched in the eyes,” she mumbled, taking a sip. The hot bitterness stung her throat.

The two sat in silence for some time; the only sound came from the heart monitor. The colour was slowly returning to Jesse’s face. Angela found her lips curling into a small smile – he looked ever so peaceful asleep. She then noticed a bit of his hair was matted to his forehead, so reached across and gently pushed it back. A chuckle resounded from Reyes.

“When will you two just admit that you’re crazy for each other?” he sighed into his mug.

“Well with any luck, after he wakes up,” she quipped, now running her fingers through his hair. “But not before he knows how mad I am at him.”

“Mad at him? What the hell for?”

“For getting himself poisoned, the _Dummkopf_ ,” she muttered. “Damn cowboy, making me worry like this…” Reyes laughed huskily and rose to his feet.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I think you two are much better suited to each other than you and Jack ever were,” he said earnestly. Blood rushed up to her cheeks.

“And why do you say that, Reyes?”

“Simple. You never got mad at Jack when he was injured.” He shrugged and went to make his leave. “I’ll leave you guys to it.”

Her patient stirred ever so slightly and her eyes shot back to him. Jesse grunted faintly as his eyes began to heave open.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse wakes up and learns what happened to him on Route 66.

Either this was the worst hangover in history, or something had happened to him on Route 66. Jesse’s head smarted as he tried to recall how the mission had gone down, but he was drawing up blanks. All he could tell was that his left arm was in some sort of sling. In the distance he could hear someone calling his name.

_“Jesse? Jesse!”_

He opened his eyes and her outline came into view. As his vision became clearer, he saw that her soft features were stained with tears, and her eyes, although weary, still shone that brilliant blue. Before he could say a word, she had pressed her lips against his and he felt a thousand times better. Whoever said laughter was the best medicine had clearly never been kissed by a beautiful woman.

“Have I died and gone t’heaven?”

_THWACK!_

“…ow.”

“Do not even joke about that,” she snapped, the tears returning to her eyes.

“Whoa there…” Although he was pretty numb, he managed to raise his free arm to her cheek, wiping away a droplet with his thumb.  
“I only meant t’say you looked like an angel…”

Her face creased and the tears now poured. Jesse softly stroked her hair as she sank into his chest and sobbed quietly. He had no idea how long he’d been out – the poor thing must have been exhausted. Eventually she lifted her head again and wiped away the moisture with her sleeve.

“Jesse…” she began, but her words seemed stuck.

“What happened to me, Angie?” he asked quietly. “I can barely feel a thing.”

“You were poisoned, Jesse. The bullet that hit you was laced with poison and you collapsed on the way back here. Thankfully, the antidote seems to have taken, but in order for it do so… I had to remove the source of the poison.”

“Whaddya mean, ‘remove the source’?” As he asked she teared up again.

“I’m so sorry,” she choked.

Jesse heaved his head to look at his arm in the sling… or what was left of it, anyway. Nausea rushed through him and his vision blurred. He just about managed to fight back the urge to vomit as a cold ice pack was placed on his forehead. Angela was now the one caressing his cheek.

“That’s it,” she whispered softly. “Just breathe slowly. You are in shock right now and that’s perfectly normal. This will take some getting used to, but I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

They stayed like that for some time. Eventually Jesse found himself breathing evenly again, soothed by her gentle touch. If anyone was going to chop his arm off, he sure was glad it was her. A thought then crossed his mind and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What is it?” she half-laughed. The cowboy smirked at her.

“You got a thing for amputees or somethin’?” he teased. Her face was a picture.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Well y’know, first Genji, now me…” He was cut off by her batting him lightly over the head.

“I did _not_ have a thing for Genji!” she yelled indignantly.

“Really? Cos you two got along mighty well…”

“It’s called having a good rapport with your patient.”

“Uh-huh, sure.” She hit him again and he laughed. “Pretty sure hittin’ yer patient ain’t good bedside manners.”

“Since when have you cared about my manners in bed, Jesse McCree?” She raised a knowing eyebrow and he tried his luck.

“Ever done it on a hospital bed?” he smirked. She rolled her eyes, then paused a second.

“You know,” she mused, “I don’t think I have.”

“First time for everythin’?”

“Not until you get your strength back,” she winked. Damn she was a tease. She then kissed him again and he felt his lips ease into a smitten smile.  
“You get some rest, _Schöner_. I’ll go and tell everyone the good news.”

Jesse watched as she floated out the door and sighed. Sure, he was missing half an arm, but he was alive and it was all thanks to her. She truly was an angel.


End file.
